DIS
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DIS
ir, appear difiinB, and well defin'd ; So that the 1)iflincT: Safe coincides with what we otherwife call the Focus. See Focus-.
The TUftinU Safe is caus'd by the Collection of the Rays proceeding from a fingle Point in the Object, into a fingle Point in the Reprefentation; and, therefore, Concave Glafles, ■which do not unite, but fcatter, and diffipate the Rays, can have no real DifiinB Safe. See Conc Ave.
DISTINCTION, aDiverfity of Things, or Conceptions : Or, as Logicians define it, an Affemblage of two, or more Words, whereby defparate Things, or their Conceptions, are denoted.
Hence it is evident, that DifiinBion arifes out of Divifion. See Division.
A Metaphyfical Distinction, call'd alfo by the School- men Alietas, Alteritas, and 2)iverfitas, is a Non-agreement of being, whereby this Entity is not that, or one is not an- other.
There are three Kinds of-tBiftin&tom taken from the three different Modes of Exiitence 5 the firfl Real, the fecond Mo- del, and the lair Rational.
A Real Distinction, is that between Things which may exift, or be conceiv'd to exift a-part from each other 5 fuch is that between two Subftances, or the Modes of two Sub fiances.
A Modal Distinction, is that between feveral Things, one whereof may exift without the other, but not viceverfa, the other without that; fuch is that between the Mind, and an Act of Will; between Wax, and its Hardnefs ; Water, and its Freezing, oc.
A Distinctio Rationis, or Rational liifiinBion, is that between feveral Things, which are really one and the fame, and whereof one cannot exift without the other, nor vice verfa the other without this : Such is that between a Thing, and its Eftence ; between the Eflence, and Properties, &c.
Of this 2)iftm5fio& fome Authors admit two Kinds j the one Founded, barbarously call'd Rationis Ratiocinate, and having fome Foundation in Things ; as when we diftin- guifh the Jufrice of God from his Mercy : The other Not- jonnded, call'd Rationis Ratiocinantis, which has no Foun- dation at all, and therefore is by many quite rejected. Tho' others contend, that there is no TiifiinBio Ratio- mi, but is at the fame Time a Real liifiinBion : Thus, fay they, God, and juft God, are to each other as Milk and white Milk 5 and a juft God, and merciful God, as white Milk and fweet Milk. But when I fay, Milk is diftinguifh'd from white Milk, or white Milk from fweet Milk, the 2)i- fiinBion falls between Whitenefs and Sweetnefs, which is a Real 2)ifiinBion. See Abstraction.
Distinction, orDisTiNcuo, in the Schools, an Ex- pedient to evade an Argument, or to clear up, and un- fold an ambiguous Proportion, which may be true in one Senfe, and falfe in another.
The Refponient was hard prefs'd, but he difengag'd himfelf by a Diftinguo.
Moliere makes T. 2>. fay to his Miflrefs, who had told him, he mufl fubmit to the Will of a Perfon he loved : Diftinguo, Madamoifelle ; pour Plnterefi de fan Amour •, Conccdo ; Contre Ja c Paffion, Nego.
DISTORTION, in Medicine. fDifiortio Oris, or IDiflor- tion of the Mouth, is a Contraction, or Shortening of one Side of the Mouth, occafion'd by a Convulfion, or a Palfy of the Mufcles of one Side the Face. See Convulsion.
When the liiftortion arifes from a Convulfion, it is on the fame Side with the Convulfion, the Force of the convul- fed Part being fuperior to that of the found Part : On the contrary, when it arifes from a Palfy, it is on the oppofite Side, the paralytic Part being here furmounted by the ibund. Sec Palsy.
In a Diftortion of the Mouth the Patient can only fpit on one Side ; and if you make him laugh, or oblige him to pro- nounce the Letter O, you'll eafily perceive, that he only moves one Side of his Mouth.
The Greeks call this Diforder cr:7-*wy/.o? KvviKot- See Spasmus.
There is alfo a "Difiortion of the Bye, call'd Squinting, or Strabifmus. See Strabismus.
DISTORTOR Oris, in Anatomy, a Mufcle of the Mouth, call'd alfo Zygomaticus. See Zygomatics.
DISTRACTION, in Medicine, the Aft of pulling a Fibre, Membrane, or the like, beyond its natural Extent ; and what is capable of this Enlargement, is faid to be difiraBible. See Fibre.
DISTRAIN, in Law. To dijlrain is to attach, or feize on one's Goods, for the Satisfaction of a Debt. See Di- stress.
DISTRESS, in Law, fignifies a Cornpulfion in certain real Actions, whereby to bring a Man to appear in Court or to pay Rent, or other Duty denied.
The ufual Effect o£2)ifirefs is to drive the Party diflrained to replevy the Difirefs, and fo take his Action of Trefpafs againft the 2)ifirai?ier 5 or elfe to compound with him for the Debt, or Duty, for which 2)ifirefs was made.
l Diftrefs is divided by Sriton into Real, and "Perfonal.
'Perfonal Distress is made by difiraining a Man's move- able Goods, and feifing all the Profits of his Lands, and Tene- ments from theTcftc, orDate of his Writ; for the Defendant's Contempt in not appearing to an Action brought againft him, when he was fummoned, or attach'd: And the limes fo re- turn 'd by the Sheriffs, are forfeited to the King, and cftreated into the Exchequer.
Real Distress is made on immoveable Goods. It dif- fers from an Attachment in this, that it cannot be taken by any common Perfon, without the Compafs of his own Feej except it be prefently after the Cattei, or other Things, are driven, or bore off the Ground, onPurpofe to avoid 2Jifirefs. See Attachment.
2)ifirejs is alfo divided into Finite, and Infinite.
Finite Distress, is that limited by Law, how often it fhall be made to bring the Party to Trial of the Action, viz. once, twice, &c.
Infinite Distress, is, without Limitation, till the Party come ; as againft a Jury, which refufi-s to appear upon Cer- tificate of Aflife, the Procefs is Fenire facias, Habeas Cor- pus, and Difirefs Infinite.
Laftly, 'JJifirefs is again divided into Grand 2)ifi;rfs, by Fitzherbert call'd Magna 7)ifiri6tio ; and Ordinary 2Jifirefs.
Grand Distress, is that made of all the Goods and Chattels the Party hath within the County. See Grand 2)ifirefs.
There are feveral .Things not difirainable : For a 23/- firefs mutt be of a Thing, whereof a valuable Property is. in fome body ; and, therefore, Dogs, Bucks, Coneys, c£c. that are fierce Natune, cannot be difirained.
Again, altho' it be of a valuable Property, as an Horfe, (yet when a Man, or Woman is riding on nimj or an Ax (in a Man's Hand cutting Wood) and the like, are for that Time privileged, and cannot be difirained.
Again, valuable Things fhall not be dift rained for Rent, which are tor the Benefit, and Maintenance of Trades, and which, by Confequence, are for the Common-Wealth, and arc by Authority of theLaw there ; as an Horfe in a Smith's Shop ; Materials in the Weaver's Shop for making Cloth ; Cloth, or Garments in the Taylor's Shop ; Sacks of Corn, or Meal in a Mill, or a Market; nor any Thing dijirained lorDamage-feaiant, for it is in Cufiodia Legis.
Again, nothing /hall be diflrained for Rent, which cannot be render'd again in as good a Plight, as it was at the Time of the 2)iflrefs taken ; as Sheaves, or Shocks of Corn can- not be diflrained for R.ent, but for Damage-feafant they may. Again, Beafts belonging to the Plow ihall not be dt- ftrai?ied,
LaftJy, Furnaces, Cauldrons, or the like, fix'd to the Free- holds, or Doors, or Windows of an Houfe, or the like, can- not be diflrained : When a Tiifirefs is taken, that has Life in it, it muft be brought into the common Pound, or kept in an open Place, where the Owner may give it Food.
DISTRIBUTION, the Act of dividing a Thing into fe- veral Parts, in order to the difpofing each in its proper Place. See Division.
A Dramatic Poet fhould have distributed his Subject into Acts and Scenes, ere he proceed to the Verification, &c. See Act, &c.
Orators difiribute their Harangues into Exordium, Nar- ration, Confirmation, &c.
The Jewifij Nation was difiributed into. 12 Tribes. See Tribe.
The Tiigefi is difiributed into 50 Books. See Digest.
The TJifiribution of the Food throughout all the Parts of the Body, is one of the greateft Wonders in Nature. See Di- gestion, and Nutrition.
Ma?zzial t and gfitotidian Distributions, are certain fmall Sums of Money, appointed by the Donors, or Founders thereof, to be difiributed to fuch of the Canons of a Chapter as are actually prefent, and affiftant at certain Obits, and Offices.
Distribution, in Rhetoric, a Kind of Defcription h or a Figure, whereby an orderly Divifion, and Enumeration is made of the principal Qualities of a Subject.
For Example, He has the Light to Jee our Faults, the Juflice torejtrain 'em, and the Authority topunifh 'em.
Their Throat is an open Sepulchre, they fatter with their Tongues ; the Toifon of Affs is under their Lips 5 their Mouth is pull ofCurfwg, and Lyes 5 and their Fees fivift to fhed 'Blood.
Distribution, in Printing, the taking a Form a-funder, feparating the Letters, and difpofing 'em in the Cafes again, each in its proper Cell. See Printing.
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